Choices, pooping and ice

High Altitude Health

By Deborah Holmes

For the Trail-Gazette

Posted:
12/27/2018 10:43:32 AM MST

I've been trying to decide if I was going to title this week's article, "I can finally see my ankle again" or "I finally pooped!" Mom is rolling her eyes right now, but she's been here to experience these two most extraordinary feelings this past week. As my brothers and sisters in joint replacement surgeries, or any major surgery know, there are a few points during the first week of recovery that are worth celebrating and that help one's mind to forget the struggles of post-surgery, week one.

I've been thinking a lot about the differences between my open-heart surgery (February 2016) and this knee surgery. I've decided that having the choice whether (or not) to have surgery is huge in the mind-game that a major surgery requires. I remember literally going through the steps of depression when I was initially informed of my impending open-heart surgery, where I was doing cart-wheels of excitement before my total knee replacement.

I respect that one surgery was life-saving and the other was a choice for a better life. I also respect that I personally earned both surgeries. Above all, I respect, and I am thankful that I live in today's world with the opportunity to fix these broken parts so that I can continue to live and to live better, happier and healthier. A half a century ago, I wouldn't have had these opportunities.

I believe that having choices in all aspects of the impending, post and recovery makes a huge difference in handling a serious surgery. Fortunately, I was able to choose my doctor and I chose someone who knows me, has lots of experience and is local. Someone who followed my knee and its deterioration over the last 8-10 years. Someone who took the time (and extra time) to assure that this new knee would be the best that it could be, because we had a relationship of care.

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My choices also included; a lot of pre-surgery strengthening and conditioning and flexibility, healthy eating, setting up appropriate after care and post therapy, early preparations of my life and choosing the time to have it done. I didn't have these choices with my heart which I know was a different ball game all together, but having some choices is very helpful and important in the brain-game of surgery.

After surgery when that wonderful nerve block wore off at 1:20 in the morning was when my choice became painful. That's when the bliss of medications helped creep me through those initial nights of sleep and those first sessions of therapy as I became familiar with my new knee and its future perfectness.

For 6 days I was thinking of the opiate/drug crisis that our world seems to find itself in. I'm trying to understand how people can become addicted to drugs that stop you from pooping? My drug experience included feeling good on drugs leading directly to 6 days without a bowel movement. Wouldn't you think that would have a painful, negative affect on the narcotic abuse industry? Holy poop! I think it's gods way of distracting you from lack of sleep and the discomfort of the knee.

Apparently, the medication slows down the peristalsis which is the involuntary constriction and relaxation of the muscles of the intestine which creates the wavelike movements that push the contents through the digestive track. The medications also displace fluids inside the bowels making the stool hard. The wonderful symptoms of constipation, bloating and nausea are something that any person should be excited to be addicted to. I'll tell you what though; get her softened up and moving again and the journey of recovery and healing is an entirely new ball game.

Lastly; holy swelling! A direct response to my physician's hard work and to my body doing its healing. I never figured that my skinny ankles could be lost, and my knee could be swollen solid.

Thank god for ice, icing, ice machines, ice packs and elevation. One of my nurses in the hospital told me that ice is and will be my best friend during these early days of recovery and he was right! So many benefits and so much relief.

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